Conventional bean bags are flexible bags filled with loose granular material and are commonly used in target type games. They are tossed for the purpose of knocking over objects, turning a mechanical apparatus to a new position, or entering into scoring holes on a playing board. Shuffle board is a game in which rigid metal, fiber composite or polymeric discs are slid across a playing surface toward a target region. In the course of the play, the players strive to slide their disc so as to knock other discs into, or out of, the target area. The present invention is directed to a toss shuffle board game in which players toss appropriately configured bean bags through the air so as to cause them to land on, and slide across a playing surface in a manner similar to conventional shuffle board. Heretofore employed bean bags are not suitable for use in the aerial shuffle board game contemplated herein, since such bags deform when they strike the playing surface, or one another, thereby preventing the bumping, knocking or ricocheting action which is an integral part of the conventional game of shuffle board. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a bean bag projectile which can provide a realistic play action in a shuffleboard game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,727 discloses a ring toss game which includes playing pieces which comprise ring shaped flexible covers filled with a particulate material and having a large central opening defined therein. The combination of the central opening, and flexible fabric causes these particular playing pieces to collapse when they strike one another. Therefore, the ring shaped bean bags of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,727 are not suitable for use as toss shuffle board playing pieces.
According to the present invention, there is provided a bean bag construction which includes a disc shaped bag having a volume of particulate material therein and further including a rigid central member which serves to restrict the particulate material to a toroidal, peripheral portion of the disc and which confers sufficient rigidity to the bean bag to permit realistic bumping and knocking action in the play of toss shuffle board. The particulate filled portion of the bean bag provides for a soft landing and a smooth sliding action and also enhances the safety aspects of the game. These and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the drawings, discussion and description which follow.